I think we live on in people’s memories until those memories go.
What happens when we die?
Question
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Identity & self
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Values & belief
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
Question
What is your greatest fear?
Identity & self
Question
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Time & hindsight
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A recurring late-stage question in The Guardian Q&A, with materially different answers on publisher-hosted pages.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
There are no more interviews.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 April 2026 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 53 →An accounting is given of our lives. Did you give more than you’ve taken? Hurt more people than you’ve helped?
We drift off to a beautiful place where we live a better, fuller life than what we’ve left.
I would like to believe that you reunite with the people you love the most.
More from Richard Schiff
View profile →Quietly somewhat funny.
Both parents, I’ll write the book someday.
Martin Sheen, simply the kindest and most fun-loving person and serious activist I’ve ever known. If Jesus was alive today he’d point to Martin Sheen and say, “That’s what I was talking about.”
Wondering why I can’t sleep.
People finding out my greatest fear.
Showing up is at least 90% of it.
More on death & what remains
- What would you like to be remembered for? 220 answers
- How close have you come to death? 210 answers
- What song would you like played at your funeral? 179 answers
- If you had only one day left to live, how would you spend it — and what would you deliberately avoid doing? 54 answers
- What would you like to leave your children? 48 answers
- How would you like to die? 44 answers
Also answered this
Sarah Perry, Layton Williams, Hugh Skinner, Sam Ryder, Tony Judt, Hugh Grant
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Explore further
- All death & what remains questions
- The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
- Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject